The present invention relates to a connector and in particular to a connector that can be used to connect a pay load orbited into space to a space station member.
There are many kinds of connectors used in making various types of connections, be they mechanical, electrical or thermal connections These types of connectors do not require further description herein.
Connectors used in space flight, however, have special alignment and mating requirements because of their unique use. For example, in space flight there is a necessity for making a connection between what is known as a station interface adapter (SIA) and a pay load interface adapter (PIA). It is necessary to make these connections because connections between the PIA and the SIA must be made to provide a power utility connector, a power data connector and a thermal utility connector.
Generally, two categories of connecting can be made, one is an orthogonal connection between the PIA/SIA interface, the other is a parallel connection. In these two categories of connection, some concepts used the mechanical power of attachment mechanism while others have independent motors.
As understood, to provide a device that can be connected without the use of an independent motor would reduce the number of mechanical parts and thus be a tremendous cost in savings complexity with no effect on the function of the utility connections.
Also connectors for this type of device require that the connectors be easily mated so that the connector pins will not bend. The requirement for easily mating is necessary because the connectors must have a mating trajectory plot compatible with the SIA PIA interface trajectory plot. A device used with alignment pins resulted in a problem that the pins are very large and obtrusive, presenting a collision and snag hazard.